Book Review: The Journey by John A. Heldt

About: The Journey is about a middle aged woman who ends up trapped in the past. In past where she ends up interacting with her younger self, and all her friends from that age.

Review: I am not sure I would call this a romance. That aside I fucking loved it. Seriously. Go read it. RIGHT NOW. I was going to try and write a “Fair and Balanced” review, but I can’t really think of anything I would criticize in this book. Other than, as noted, it isn’t very romance-y? There is romance in it, but it doesn’t come across as the focus (and frankly, I am just fine with that, I loved the story as is). There are times when I was reading that I laughed so hard my boyfriend looked up at me like “what is wrong with you?”. There some pretty intense edge-of-your-seats-oh-my-god-please moments, too. There are a couple of very tender moments. The writing is really well done. The characters are all great– I feel like they are all very well fleshed out and interesting (even the ones you hate). The story, when it comes down to it, is about Shelly (Michelle) and Shelly. It’s about Michelle’s second chance at life, and Shelly’s chance to learn from her own mistakes (literally). It is about Michelle’s chance to help better the lives of those people she loved as a girl. It’s about her chance at finding second love. It’s a coming of age and a second chance novel. And I love it. Every moment of it. I loved where it was set– I live in Oregon, and felt very connected to the setting.

Even the ending, WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO SHAKE JOHN VIGOROUSLY FOR. While shaking him I would like to shout at him, “Why John? WHY? WHY GODDAMNIT IT WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME?”

This being said the ending makes perfect goddamned sense and I probably would have written it too. But still WHHHHHYYYY?!

Why you should read/get it: Just fucking do it. Just go read the book. It’s great. I couldn’t put it down. YOU SHOULD GET IT BECAUSE I SAID SO.